1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a releasable or jettisonable sabot or cartridge-case base for a fin-stabilized subcaliber projectile which is capable of being fired from a weapon barrel having rifled or helical grooves wherein the sabot jacket is preferably made of a plastic material and the sabot body consists of light metal. The sabot body, in turn, is subdivided into segments and includes a cartridge shell attachment place or portion.
2. Discussion of the Background of the Invention and Material Information
In a known or prior art fin-stabilized subcaliber projectile of this type, as exemplified by European patent publication EP-A-0 300 373 as well as cognate U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,815,682 and 4,901,646, the three segments of the sabot body or the sabot tail are held together via a sabot jacket (called sabot body in the noted publications). For sealing the adjoining or abutting areas between the three segments, these abutting areas have canals or channels which contain or are filled with sealing strips. For sealing of the abutting areas between the subcaliber projectile or fin-stabilized projectile and the three segments of the sabot tail or sabot body, a ring-shaped seal is utilized in the area of the rear face or end plane of the sabot tail. This rear face forms or constitutes the acceleration portion. Experience has shown that this known joint or seal is insufficient and must be improved.
In addition, described in Swiss patent publication CH-675 769 A5 is a sabot projectile having a reference fracture location or predetermined breaking point in the rear section of the sabot, wherein the rear section includes longitudinal slots for the segmentation thereof and further includes a ring having such fracture locations in the region of the outer diameter thereof. At the rear end of the sabot aft section, a hemispherical sealing shell is provided for the sealing of the propellant gas. In order that the aft portion of the sabot does not prematurely separate into its sectors during firing, that is, in order to neutralize the outwardly radially-acting gas pressure that acts on the sealing shell, jointly acting support surfaces are provided at the sabot rear or aft section and at the rear end plane of the projectile body. This is not possible in the class or genus of the present application.
In a further known fin-stabilized projectile of this type, such as that shown in German patent publication DE-A-35 25 854 the sabot is comprised of a jacket in front, a sabot body in the middle, and a sealing disk at the rear. Since the sealing disk and jacket are not combined or joined in a gas-tight manner, and since there is no closing seal, a satisfactory gas seal cannot be assured at discharge.
The task or object of the present invention is to so improve the seal or joint that upon firing an absolutely reliable gas seal is achieved between the cannon barrel and the sabot, without being influenced by the wear of the cannon barrel during its life span.